In one of the harshest Wall Street punishments in years, a New York Stock Exchange specialist is facing 27 months behind bars for making illegal floor trades ahead of his customers.

The rampant practice known as front-running was commonplace for decades on the hectic floor of the NYSE until regulators cracked down on the improper trading and arrested 15 floor traders at seven specialists firms.

Bongiorno and a fellow specialist at the firm, Patrick McGagh, pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud in May. Prosecutors wanted to jail McGagh for 71 months and Bongiorno for 57 months, but the judge delayed sentencing.

Bongiorno had personally pocketed $1.3 million on his trades and McGagh earned $3.2 on his, while their firm earned many more millions, prosecutors said.